


All You Really Need

by airspaniel



Category: Tin Man (2007)
Genre: Amnesia, Episode Tag, Friendship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-12-06
Updated: 2007-12-06
Packaged: 2017-10-19 12:38:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/200925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/airspaniel/pseuds/airspaniel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the journey's end, Glitch reflects on what's really important.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All You Really Need

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted [here.](http://yumemiru-kikai.livejournal.com/14313.html)

Glitch sat crosslegged on the floor of the control room, regarding the glowing green tank that held his brain.

Well, most of his brain. The part that knew... things.

He knew things. Rather, he knew that he knew things, but those things that he knew that he knew... he didn't actually know. It was all very frustrating.

So he sat, staring into the jar, absently hoping that some knowledge would be restored by osmosis or something, without Raw's intervention. Was that what "osmosis" meant? Kind of a funny sounding word, wasn't it?

"Can't you put it back?"

He jumped at the voice, Cain's voice, and wheeled around. "You know, for such a big guy, you sure don't make a lot of noise."

Cain chuckled ruefully, "Stealthiness has its advantages."

Glitch grinned despite himself. "If your goal is scaring me out of what's left of my mind, I guess." He turned back toward the tank, pulling his knees up to his chest and resting his chin on his folded arms. The posture made him look very young, and Cain was drawn forward; wanting to provide what little support he could. He sat down next to Glitch on the cold marble floor, wincing a little as the chill seeped through his trousers.

"Can't you?" he prompted, "Put it back, I mean."

"It doesn't work that way. To remove that much of the brain without killing the subject is an intensely delicate process. Thousands of blood vessels and nerve endings must be severed and cauterized, not just in the brain itself, but in the subject's brainstem and nervous system. And even if the physical damage were reparable, there's no way anyone could perform a reverse operation with the kind of speed it would take to keep systemic shock from setting in, killing the brain and the subject all at once."

Cain stared blankly at him. "And what does that mean?"

Glitch stared back, just as blankly. "What does what... What did I say?"

"Well, it was a little over my head, honestly." Cain put a reassuring arm around Glitch's shoulders. "But the gist seemed to be there's no going back"

Glitch's eyes turned sad, gazing at the brain in the tank. "No. No, I don't suppose there is." Then he sagged back into Cain's arm and buried his face in the man's neck.

Cain just held him tighter in the eerie green light, feeling the cold metal of the grisly zipper against his cheek; and they sat like that for a long time.

At length, Cain spoke, voice deep and a little rusty in the echoing chamber. "I don't think you need it."

Glitch didn't answer, just shifted deeper into Cain's embrace.

"I'm serious, Glitch. Ambrose. I think DG was right about you." He brought his hand up to the man's chin, lifting his face so their eyes met. "And I'd rather have you with half a brain on my side than an entire army of brilliant minds in jars; I don't care what kind of machines they run."

The corner of Glitch's mouth quirked up just slightly. "You really mean that?"

"Absolutely. When was the last time you saw a brain in a jar throw five guys around and make it look effortless?"

Glitch couldn't suppress a smile. "That's nothing, really. I mean, it's not like I could tell you what I was doing."

"All right," Cain conceded, "But a brain in a jar didn't save my life. And intelligent as it may be, that brain there isn't my friend. You are."

Glitch didn't know what to say, and for once it had nothing to do with his memory. Instead he leaned forward and pressed his lips to Cain's, trying to communicate all those things he didn't have words for.

Cain seemed to understand and held his friend close, running his fingers over soft dark hair and cold hard steel; tenderly returning the kiss.

When they broke apart, Glitch looked away; his pale skin flushed and pink, even in the strange ambient light. His eyes were once again drawn to the tank, but this time there was no sorrow in them, no regret.

"It was worth it," he whispered, speaking his thoughts aloud. "This adventure. DG and Raw, and saving the O. Z. All of it.” His hand found Cain’s, and he laced their fingers together. “And you. I never would have had any of this if I still had my brain.”

“You’re probably right.” Cain squeezed his hand reassuringly. “None of this would have happened.”

For a while they sat in silence, hands held fast; looking at the brain.

This time, it was Glitch who broke the spell. “Y’know, you can still call me Glitch. Um, if you want.”

Cain climbed to his feet, tugging the smaller man up beside him, and pulling him away from the tank.

“Come on, Glitch. Let’s get out of here.”


End file.
